Bottle washing apparatus



March 16, 1943.

A. E. LADEWlG BOTTLE WASHING APPARATUS Filed April 3. 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 aux@ 1 1 ...111 1 11.11- 11111111111 111|1MHWWMMQWTMHMIWHQ 1.11m

March 16, 1943. A. E. LADl-:wlG 2,314,048'

BOTTLE WASHING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQRestema Mu. 1e, 1943 UNITED sTA'ri-:s PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE WASHINGAPPARATUS Archie E. Ladewig, Waukesha, Wis.

. Application April 3, 1940, Serial No. 327,590

4 Claims. (Cl. 141-7) 'I'he present invention relates in general toimprovements in the art of cleansing objects in succession, and relatesmore specifically to various improvements in the construction andoperation oi apparatus for washing bottles or the like.

Generally deilned, an object of my invention is to provide variousimprovements in the details of construction of automatic bottlecleansing apparatus, whereby such mechanisms may be maintained in mosteective operating condition with minimum eiiort and attention.

Some of the more important specific objects of the invention are asfollows:

To provide new and useful means for removing debris and impurities fromthe cleansing liquid utilized in a receptacle washing assemblage.

To provide improved instrumentalities for collecting and for effectingremoval of labels from the washing liquid which is being circulatedthrough the label removing zone of a bottle washing machine or the like.

To provide an improved system for eiecting recirculation of relativelyclean liquid through the nozzles of an automatic bottle washing machineor the like.

To provide various improvements in the construction and operation oireceptacle washing machines of the combined soaking and spray type,whereby the manufacture thereof is simpliiled, while the economy andeiiciency is enhanced to a maximum.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting the presentinvention, and of the mode of constructing and of operating bottlewashing machines built in accordance with the improvement, may be had byreferring to the drawings accompanying and forming a. part of thisspecication wherein like reference characters designate thesame orsimilar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary part sectional side view of an improved bottlewashing machine, showing the improved assemblage for e'ecting insertionand removal of the nozzle pipes, and also showing the improved labelremoving apparatus in section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the portion of themachine shown in Fig. 1, but additionally revealing one of the improvedliquid iltering assemblages;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view showing several oi' the jet deliverypipes and a structure for eiecting insertion and removal thereof, thesection through the main casing having been taken along the line 3--3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the asthe internal basket partiallyremoved as when eecting removal of accumulated impurities. Although theinvention has been shown by way of illustration, as being specificallyapplied to a machine for automatically washing bottles of a particulartype, by combined soaking and spraying action, it is not my desire orintent to unnecessarily restrict the scope or use of this invention byvirtue of such specific embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, the improved bottle washing assemblage showntherein comprises in general an enclosing housing or casing 8 havingtherein sets of lower and upper horizontal rails 9, I0 respectively,which are connected by the usual upright and curved end rails to providea pair of spaced continuous tracks; an endless bottle conveyor II havinga succession of articulably interconnected rollers I2 coacting with therails 9, I0, and also having successive sets of bottle carrier pocketsI3 which are cooperable with bottles I4 and are intermittently movablealong the continuous tracks 'by the conveyor II; a lower transversepartition I5 spanning the casing 8 within the endless track and abovethe lower rail 9 to provide a soaking basin I6 through which the bottlesIll are transportable while in upright position; an upper transversepartition Il spanning the interior of the casing 8 somewhat above thepartition I5 but beneath the upper rails I0 to provide intermediate andupper chambers I8, I9 respectively; a plurality of lower and upperliquid distributing conduits or pipes 20, 2i respectively, of which thelower pipes 20 communicate with the usual liquid supply pump through aheader 22 and connection 23 and are located beneath the rails l0, whilethe upper pipes 2i have supply connections 24 connected to the pump andare disposed above the rails IIJ in vertical alinement with the pipes20; an approximately horizontal bottle lifting and supporting plate 25having a succession of conical sockets 26 cooperable with the heads ofthe bottles IB while inverted to center the bottle openings relative tothe orifices or nozzles 21 of the pipes 20: an improved label collectingand removing assemblage having a casing 28 communicating at its upperportion through openings 30 with thechamber I 8; and a pair of improvedliquid iiltering or straining assemblages each having a casing 3ldivided by a partition 32 into upper and lower chambers, the upper ofwhich communicates through an opening 33 with the main casing chamberI8, and the lower oi' which communicates through a pipe 34 with thesuction inlet of the liquid circulating pump.

'Ihe mechanism for driving the endless conveyor II so as to transportthe carrier pockets I3 and bottles I4 by successive steps, through theinterior oi the casing 8 and along the rails 8, I0, is of relatively oldand well known construction, and this is also true of the pump forcirculating the header 22 and yremoved from within the casing 8.

Liquid Vis constantly being delivered into the washing chamber I8 by thepipes 2li, 2| through the nozzles 21 and oriilces 35, and labels andother debris are being removed from the bottles I4 and deposited in thebottom of the chamber l I8 with the wash water. In order to permitliquid through the pipes 2U, 2|. While the lower R pipes are providedwith nozzles 21 adapted to deliver jets of liquid upwardly into thelower openings of the inverted bottles I4 while at rest, the upperliquid supply pipes 2I are provided with orices 35 adapted to deliversprays of liquid downwardly over the bottles I4 during transportationthereof along the rails I 0 and while the nozzles 21 are delivering ietsinto the bottles. The bottle soaking basin I6 which is located in thelower portion of the main casing 8, and through which the successivebottles I4 are transported before being subjected to jet and spraywashing and rinsing, is normally supplied with an abundant quantity ofsoaking solution; and the guide rails 9, Ill are preferably providedwith guards 36 for maintaining the rollers I2. in coaction with thetrack.

It is desirable to have the liquid supply and distributing pipes 20, 2|quickly and conveniently accessible for inspection and cleaningespecially when the cleansing liquid is being recirculated; and theupper pipes 2I which are xedly located within the casing 8, arepreferably connected to the supply pipes 24 by means of detachablecouplings 31, so that detachment of the pipes 24 will permit readycleaning of the interiors oi the pipes 2| and orifices 35. The lowerpipes 20 however communicate with the header 22 which is housed withinthe casing 8, and because of this fact, and also because these pipes 20are subject to considerable debris deposit and must also be externallycleaned, special means for effecting quick removal of the pipes 20 havebeen provided. The pipes 20 may be arranged in groups, and the inletends of the pipes 20 are provided with screw threads and stop nuts 38coacting with the header 22, while the opposite ends of these pipes 20are closed by pipe caps 39 and rest in V-notches formed in severalsupporting plates 40 which are mounted upon a horizontal angle beam 4Iflxedly secured within the casing 8, see Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The fixedbottle elevating, guiding and centering plate may be supported from theheader 22 and from the pipe supporting plates 40, as shown, and the maincasing 8 is provided with an elongated side opening 42 which is normallyclosed by removable covers 43, so that removal of one of the covers 43will give access toone group of pipes 20. An angle bar 44 coacts withthe closure caps 39 of each group of pipes 20, and each angle bar 44 isclamped against the caps of its group by means of threaded rods 45secured to the header 22 and penetrating the adjacent plate 48, and bynuts 48 coacting with the rods 45. Obviously, by removing the covers 43and releasing the thumb nuts 46. the angle bars 44 may be withdrawn,whereupon the pipes 20 may be unscrewed from clarication of the liquidfor subsequent re-use, it ls desirable to ilrst remove the labels andthe bulk of the debris,.and this is accomplished by the improved labelremover housed within the auxiliary casing 28. Confined within thecasing 28, is an endless flexible screen 41 which coacts with pulleys48, 49 carried by shafts 50 journalled in bearings 5I, and one of theseshafts 58 is being constantly rotated during normal operation of themachine so as to impart motion to the screen 41. The upper stretch ofthe screen 41 is disposed slightly below and in close proximity to themain casing openings 29 and an intermediate opening 52, and a relativelyheavy roller 53 rests upon the lower stretch of the screen belt so as tomaintain the upper stretcth taut at all times, see Fig. 1. The medialopening 52 communicates with a trough 54 formed by two uprightpartitions 55 and to which relatively clean liquid is supplied, and theliquid discharged onto the screen 41 through the opening 52, passesthrough the upper stretch and'is deposited upon a distributing plate 56from whence it is cascaded through the lower stretch so as to wash theadhering labels and debris therefrom. The lower interior portion of thecasing 28 is provided with an apron 51 and with removable perforateddrawers 58, the former oi' which guides the label laden liquid into thelatter, and the latter of which collect the debris while permitting theliquid to escape to the chamber 59 from whence it is removed by thecirculating pump. The openings 29 deliver the label laden liquid to theendless screen 41, abovetransverse liquid collecting boxes or troughs 60which catch the separated liquid, while the labels stayupon the screenbelt to be subsequently removed into the drawers 58. The troughscommunicate through the openings 30, with the intermediate chamber I8 ofthe casing 8, and the liquid flowing through the chamber I8 is initiallypurified by removal of the labels and other debris, and is delivered bygravity into the auxiliary casings 3i through the openings 33.

After the liquid has been screened for initial removal of the labels anddebris, it should pre!- erably be further claried before recirculationthereof by the pump, and this further clarification or Illtering isaccomplished with the apparatus conned within the casings 3 I. Each ofthe final clariers comprises an outer illtering cup or basket 6I havinga top supporting ring 62 which rests upon the adjacent transversepartition 32, and also having a bottom 63 provided with a fixedupstanding guide rod 64; and an inner iiitering cup or basket 65disposed concentric with respect to the basket 6I and having a topsupporting ring 66 coacting with a circular recess 61 in the ring 62,and also having a bottom 68 provided with an upstanding central tube 69embracing the guide rod 64. The interior of each inner basket 55 is inconstant open communication with the chamber I8 through the opening 33above the adjacent partition 32, and the exterior of the outer basket 65of each set is in communication with the pump suction pipe 34 through achamber 1D below the partition 32. The liquid level within the casing 3I above the partition I2 can never rise over the top'of the open casing;and the inner basket l! may be removed from within the outer basket IIwithout disturbing the latter, with the aid oi' the tube 89, as shown inFig. 5. After the inner basket 65 has been thus removed, the outerbasket BI may also be freely vertically removed from within the casing3| with the aid of the rod 8l. thus permitting convenient removal ofboth baskets BI, 6B for periodic inspection and cleaning.

While the normal operation of the improved bottle washing apparatusshould be rather apparent from the foregoing detailed description, ashort rsum of this operation will be given. When the bottle washer isoperating in a'ormal manner, the successive dirty bottles are loadedinto the successive groups of carrier pockets I3 at the inlet end of themachine, and the bottles I 4 are first transported in upright positionthrough the soaking basin I6, after which they are inverted and arecarried forwardly over the elevating and centering plate 25. Theadvance-f ment of the conveyor and of the carrier pockets I3 is byintermittent steps, so that the bottles It are subjected to internalwashing only when the heads of the bottles are in the recesses 26 andwhile the bottles are stationary. When the bottles I4 are thuspositioned, Jets of cleansing liquid are delivered upwardly through thenozzles 2l into the interiors of the bottles, and the exteriors thereofare simultaneously subjected to external sprays of liquid delivered fromthe orifices 35. This external washing removes the labels and the labelladen liquid is discharged by gravity from the washing zone and dropsinto the bottom of the chamber IQ. From the bottom of the chamber I9,the label laden liquid flows through the openings 29 onto the endlessscreen di, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the liquid passes through thescreen al while the labels are carried from the upper stretch of thescreen around the pulley t8 and are deposited into the drawers 5a. Ifthe labels are not removed by gravity, the relatively fresh liquidpassing through the screen il from the trough 5t and through the opening52, will positively Hush the labels oil of the screen and into thedrawers 58. In the drawers ES, the labels will accumulate while theentrained liquid passes through the perforations ln the drawers and intothe chamber 59 from whence the liquid is removed by the pump. Theaccumulated labels may be periodically removed by removal of the drawers58, and the apron 5l will insure delivery of the labels into thesedrawers. The liquid which passes through the belt screen di at theopenings t9, is deposited into the troughs t@ from whence it flowsthrough the chamber I8 and through the opening 33 into the filter casing3i,

see Fig. 2. From the filter casing 3i the liquid passes downwardlythrough the inner basket 65 and through the outer basket 6 I into thechamber 'I0 from whence it is removed by the pump through the suctionconnection 3d. The same action takes place in each of the illter casings3i, and the baskets 65, 6i, which may be provided with ltering materialof diiferent mesh, eifectively remove the nner impurities and deliverrelatively clean water to the chamber lili.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that theliquid which is being constantly circulated through the washer by thecirculating pump, is maintained in relatively clean condition at thewashing nozzles at all times. The label removing apparatus is visiblethrough the open upper end of the auxiliary casing 28,

at all times, and if the labels are not completely removed by the liquidpassing through the screen 41 from the opening 52, the adhering labelsmay be manually removed. 'Ihe filtering unit is also constantly visiblethrough the open upper end of the auxiliary casing 3|, and either orboth of the baskets 8l, 86 may be removed at any time for inspection andcleaning. The interiors of the pipes 2| are accessible by detachment ofthe couplings I1, and the pipes 20 may be readily removed for inspectionand cleaning by merely removing the closure covers I3 and by releasingthe thumb nuts 46. The single endless screen 41 derives labels from aplurality of sources within the washer, and relatively clean liquid fromthe washing zone is utilized to remove all of the labels from theseparating screen. All portions of the apparatus are therefore readilyaccessible and removable, and may be replaced in operative conditionwith minimum loss of time.

It will therefore be apparent that my present invention provides variousimprovements in the details of construction and operation'of bottlewashing machines, whereby such mechanisms may be readily maintained inmost effective operating condition with minimum loss of time, and withminimum eiort on the part of the attendant. The cleansing mechanismsfunction automatically to maintain the liquid in substantially clarifiedcondition, and the removed solids such as labels and other particles,may be conveniently removed from the machine vat any time, Withoutnecessarily interfering with the operation of the bottle washingmechanism. The fresh liquid which is used for final rinsing of thewashed bottles, is subsequently used. for i-lnal external and internalwashing, and for removing the debris from the screen dll, therebypermitting operation of the washer with a minimum supply of fresh water.The entire assemblage is obviously simple, compact and eilcient inoperation, and can be installed in variousV types of Washers at moderatecost. The cup lters 6I, 6b which are suspended from the partition 32-and depend into the chamber 70, insure and maintain suilcient head ofliquid in the chamber IEB at all times to prevent breaking of the pumpsection, and these iters may be removed either successively orsimultaneously. The improvement has proven highly satisfactory in actualcommercial use, and while the improved features have been shown as beingapplied to a bottle washer of a particular type, these features areobviously more generally applicable to various types of bottle washingmechanisms. ,A

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details ofconstruction or to the precise mode of operation,herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scopeof the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. In a receptacle washer, a main casing having a receptacle washingzone therein, means for subjecting receptacles to liquid within saidzone, an auxiliary casing connected to and in communication with themain casing to receive spent washing liquid from several spaced portionsof said zone, an endless screen operating entirely within said auxiliarycasing for receiv-l ing the spent washing liquid to separate debris fromthe liquid, means coacting with said screen to maintain the screeningportion thereof taut, and means within said casings for deliveringliquid from another portion of said mno reversely through said screen toremove debris therefrom.

2. In a receptacle washer, a main casing having a receptacle washingzone therein, means for subjecting receptacles to liquid washing actionwithin said zone, an auxiliary casing connected to and in communicationwith the main casing to receive spent washing liquid from said zone, anendless screen operating entirely within said auxiliary casing andhaving an upper stretch for receiving the spent washing liquid and forseparating debris from the liquid, means for constantly advancing saidscreen to present new portions thereof to the liquid for separatingpurposes, and means for delivering liquid from said zone reverselythrough the lower stretch oi said screen to remove the debris therefrom.

3. In a receptacle Washer, a main casing having a receptacle washingzone therein, means for subjecting receptacles to liquid washing actionwithin said zone, an auxiliary casing connected to and in communicationwith the main casing to receive spent washing liquid from said zone, acontinuously travelling endless screen operating entirely within saidauxiliary casing and having an upper stretch for removing debris fromthe spent washing liquid delivered from said zone, a roller coactingwith an inner face oi the lower stretch of said screen for continuouslymaintaining the upper stretch thereof taut. and means for deliveringrelatively clean liquid from said zone through the lower stretch ot saidscreen toremove debris therefrom.

4. In a receptacle washer, a main casing having a receptacle washingzone therein, means for subjecting receptacles to liquid washing actionwithin said zone, an auxiliary casing connected to and in communicationwith the main casing to receive spent washing liquid from said zone, acontinuously travelling endless screen entirely within said auxiliarycasing and having an upper stretch provided with spaced portions forremoving debris from the spent washing liquid delivered from said zone.means for delivering relatively clean liquid from said zone through thelower stretch oi' said screen to remove debris therefrom, and aremovable means within the auxiliary casing for collecting the removeddebris.

ARCHIE E. LADEWIG.

